


I'll Never Smile Again

by IceyChild



Category: Thor (2011)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Punishment, Regret
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-06
Updated: 2012-07-13
Packaged: 2017-11-09 07:01:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/452646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IceyChild/pseuds/IceyChild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With his last spoken words, Loki had looked straight into his brother’s eyes and whispered “I will never smile again.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Punishment

“You look beautiful when you smile.”  
  
Thor wanted to smack his head on the table. That thought was supposed to stay in his head. He squeezed his eyes shut so he didn’t have to see the look of disgust he was sure was on his brother’s face.  
  
He had been staring at his brother Loki instead of doing his required reading. Loki, being the “good” child, was actually doing his assigned work. Loki must have read something that amused him, because suddenly the faintest of smiles came across his brothers lips.  
  
Thor felt as if he had been rendered speechless. He just stared at Loki, whose small smile only made his eyes look greener, his black hair look shinier, and his pale complexion look more radiant.  
  
It must have been in that moment of weakness that Thor accidently spoke his thought.  
  
“I-I-I, I’m sorry.” Thor said, shaking his head and cursing himself under his breath. He was an idiot.  
  
When Loki said nothing in return, Thor had a brief moment where he wondered if his brother had even heard him. Perhaps all this worrying was for nothing.  
  
When Thor looked up at Loki he knew Loki had definitely heard him. Loki’s green eyes showed his shock, he was nervously touching his hair and his pale face was flushed an adorable pink color.  
  
And yet Loki hadn’t said anything. No witty retort, no biting comment, no stinging insult.  
  
“Brother?” Thor was worried; he hoped he hadn’t broken Loki in some way.  
  
“You shouldn’t tease people brother” Loki said after taking a deep breath.  
  
“No!” Thor jumped up from his chair and rushed to his brother’s side. Taking Loki’s thin, smooth hand he held it in both of his larger, rougher ones. “You are beautiful brother! I would not lie!”  
  
Loki had turned his head in defiance, but Thor could still see that his brother’s face had become uncommonly red.  
  
“You are being foolish, brother.” Loki still refused to look at Thor; however Thor could hear the smile on Loki’s face.  
  
“As are you, my brother.” Thor said as kindly as he could. “If you truly believe you are not beautiful when you smile.”  
  
Loki’s shoulders, which had previously been tense, dropped. Thor heard him take a deep breath, and after that Loki finally turned to face his brother.  
  
While he was still flushed from embarrassment, Loki offered a simple smile, which made Thor grin.  
  
***  
  
Loki never smiled anymore. At least, not in the way he used to. Sure, Thor had seen his brother smile recently, but it was in a twisted and sadistic manner. It was more of a smirk than a smile, a boast of power as he attempted to destroy the planet Earth that Thor had come to love.  
  
Now, as Loki sat awaiting Asgardian punishment, Thor wondered if perhaps Loki’s healing could begin. Maybe that was the last time Loki would stray onto that path of self destruction. Perhaps after this, Thor might be able to get his brother back.  
  
Thor felt a rush of happiness at that thought and turned to beam at his brother. Loki was currently sitting on a bench, hands in shackles that contained his magic, and a mask on that stopped him from speaking using his “silver tongue”.  
  
Thor was surprised at the lack of emotion his brother was currently showing. Surely, he figured, there would be some sort of defiance, some gleam in those green eyes that promised an even greater revenge. But Loki appeared to be blank, as if he were simply alive without really living.  
  
“Brother?” Thor asked tentatively, reaching out and covering Loki’s chained hands with one of his own. “Are you feeling ill? You seem to be uncharacteristically-” Thor struggled to find a word. “-blank.”  
  
Loki’s eyes flicked over to his brothers face. He neither shook, nor nodded his head, and after an awkward moment of tension, Loki went back to staring off into space.  
  
Thor kept his hand on his brothers, hoping this caring gesture would provide some sort of comfort for his brother. They sat like that, in silence, until a guard came and announced that Loki’s punishment had been decided.  
  
Thor turned to his brother and saw Loki looking more terrified than he ever had. It was a brief moment, over so quickly that Thor wasn’t sure if it had ever really happened. It seemed like Loki’s eyes had been brimming with tears, but before one could drop Loki closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and rose. Thor quickly followed his brother and walked with him into the room to await the council’s decision.  
  
***  
  
In the room there was a single chair, meant for Loki. Thor was guided to the councilors by the guard, while Loki took his seat. After Thor had taken his place by his father’s side, the guard left.  
  
“Loki Laufeyson, for your crimes committed on Midgard, the council has reached a decision on appropriate punishment.” Odin’s voice rang throughout the room. Thor noticed that Loki could not bring himself to look into his father’s eyes. Instead he sat with his eyes on the ground, like a child receiving a lecture from a parent.  
  
The guard returned with something on a gold platter. Thor squinted to see it, and felt his stomach churn when he recognized the tools.  
  
“The council has decided that your mouth will be sewn shut, so you can no longer use your words to cause such chaos.” Odin declared, and the guard proceeded to pick up the needle and thread it with the thin black material.  
  
Thor felt as if he were going to be sick. He couldn’t imagine Loki with his mouth sewn shut. Never speaking, never engaging him in playful banter, and never offering his words of wisdom ever again. While Thor was contemplating his brother’s morbid future, he made the mistake of glancing at Loki’s face.  
  
Loki was sheer white, his green eyes large and filled with terror. His hands were clenched in fists, knuckles already white, and his entire body was visibly shaking. As the guard neared his brother, Thor saw a single tear fall, and watched as his brother lost all hope in one moment.  
  
“Stop!” Thor yelled. His voice echoed, and every pair of eyes in the room landed on him. Thor went to speak, but found that his voice was lost. What could he possibly say to save his brother? Nothing. The council had already chosen the punishment. Perhaps he was only making it worse by interrupting. The thought that he might be getting his brother into more trouble terrified him. He felt frozen.  
  
“Son? Is there something you wish to say?” Odin asked. His expression showed that he empathized with Thor, for he loved Loki as well. However Odin knew that punishment was what was called for, and so punishment is what shall be given.  
  
“Let me do it.” Thor said quietly, his voice wavering as if he were unsure of his own words. “This is too-” he paused to think of what word would not offend the council “-Impersonal.” He looked at his father and pleaded “Please, father. Allow me to be the one to give Loki his punishment.”  
  
Odin looked at his council, who seemed to be just as surprised as he did. Slowly, one by one, they all nodded in agreement.  
  
“Thor Odinson, the council has agreed to grant you your request.” Odin said, and then turned to the council. “Let us leave, so the punishment can begin.”  
  
Thor bowed his head as all the councilmen walked past him, and when Odin came to him; his father put his hand on Thor’s shoulder. “You are brave, son.”  
  
***  
  
Thor stared at the ground for what felt like an hour. Finally, the guard came and handed him the needle and thread. In his hands, they felt heavier than Mjölnir ever had. He looked up, to see Loki staring at him with such intensity it scared him. What could possibly be going through his brother’s head? Was he angry at Thor for offering to be the one to cause him such pain? Was he thankful that Thor had stood up against the council for him?  
  
Thor slowly made his way towards his brother, and fell to his knees in front of him. He stared into Loki’s green eyes, trying to understand his brother in this moment. Never had he so badly wanted to know what his brother was thinking.  
  
Very slowly, Thor reached up and untied the mask from behind Loki’s head. He expected Loki to scream, to curse him, to attempt to use magic against him. But all that Loki did was breathe a sigh of relief.  
  
“Brother.”  
  
Thor immediately began to weep. It was the first word Loki had said since his capture and it broke his heart to hear it. Loki sounded broken. He had no fight in him, no hope. Thor laid his head on Loki’s lap and held his brothers hands tightly.  
  
“I am so sorry brother.” Thor repeated, as if saying it enough times would make him feel better for what he had to do. Loki said nothing, perhaps he had become accustomed to being mute, but Thor could feel the light tremors of fear throughout his brother’s body.  
  
When Thor felt he was ready, he lifted his head to look at the face he would be defiling. Loki was still pale, but it seemed he was trying hard to mask the fear of his punishment. Thor lifted the needle and brought it to Loki’s lips. Loki squeezed his eyes shut and whimpered. Thor quickly took this moment to claim his brother’s lips.  
  
They were soft, which surprised Thor since his brother had been muted by the mask. He felt Loki tense, but he never moved away, so Thor kept his lips attached for a bit longer. Thor had hoped his point was made through the kiss, but just in case, he said it aloud.  
  
“I love you.” Thor gripped the back of Loki’s head and stared into his brother’s shocked eyes. “Never doubt that.”  
  
And with that he shoved the needle through the corner of Loki’s mouth.  
  
***  
  
Loki’s mouth immediately began bleeding. Loki barely had time to make a half choked sobbing noise before Thor had moved on to the next stitch in his brother’s mouth.  
  
Loki had his hands on Thor’s shoulders and was squeezing for all he was worth. It was not physically painful, but the fact that Loki’s hands were getting weaker and weaker with every move of the needle made Thor’s heart ache.  
  
At the next stitch Loki coughed. Blood splattered all over Thor’s shirt, and dribbled down Loki’s chin. He was choking on his blood.  
  
“Stop, please.” Loki begged, crying now without shame. Only half of his mouth could move so the words came out muddled, but Thor understood.  
  
“I’m so sorry, brother.” Thor was now saying it out of pure repetition. He couldn’t think, all he could do was follow the thoughtless movements. Stitch, apologize, stitch, and apologize again.  
  
When he was nearing the ending stitches, Loki screamed. It was terrifying. It was a shrill, high pitched scream as he shook and thrashed.  
  
Thor was immediately pulled back into reality, he saw Loki sobbing hysterically, the blood, both dry and fresh coating his mouth, he saw how Loki’s body was trembling, and he saw the pure hatred in his brother’s eyes. Loki’s breathing was harsh and fast and Thor could tell that his brother was going to faint soon.  
  
Loki managed to compose himself just long enough to hiss out a phrase that made Thor’s blood run cold, before he succumbed to exhaustion.  
  
Thor immediately finished the job, picked his brother up and brought Loki to his own room. He swore that he would stay by his brother’s side for as long as he possibly could. He had ruined his brother’s life, so he would devote the rest of his life to Loki. As his lay Loki down on the small couch next to his bed, he remembered what Loki had told him.  
  
With his last spoken words, Loki had looked straight into his brother’s eyes and whispered “I will never smile again.”


	2. The Aftermath

Loki awoke to sunlight in his eyes. He grunted and flung his arm over his eyes in an attempt to block out the offending rays.

His tongue probed his mouth as he went to lick his lips because they felt dry, and cracked.

His lips would not part.

He shoved his tongue harder against his mouth and was awarded with a stinging pain.

He sat up immediately, trying to remember what had happened to him, where he was, why his mouth hurt.

His fingers trembled as they rose to his lips; his fingertips brushing the stitches as the memories of yesterday came rushing back to him.

He felt sick.

His stomach lurched, but thankfully nothing came up.

He realized with a shudder that he would have had to swallow any bile.

He thought of times when he had previously gotten physically sick from petty things like overindulgence.

A terrifying thought struck him; how would he eat?  
  
His stomach growled now, suddenly hungry.  
  
How would he drink?

His throat felt so dry it was painful.

He allowed saliva to gather in his mouth before swallowing.

That was the best he could do.

His eyes watered as he realized how pathetic he truly was.

At one point in time he had mortals kneeling before him.

Now he was reduced to gathering his own spit to sooth his throat.

He pulled his knees close to his chest and finally looked around the room.

He was sitting on a white couch, with comfortable pillows and someone had given him the kindness of the green blanket that had been in his own room.  
  
He wondered if he even had a room here anymore.

Perhaps Odin wanted nothing to do with him anymore, and was planning on sending him off, mouth sewn shut, with no magic.

Loki stared at the floor, the familiar palace tiles, and then noticed the familiar rug.

Red and gold, beautifully woven together that makes an outline for the picture within. Dark gray clouds swirl around and a single bolt of blue lightning clashes through to strike Mjölnir.

He had gotten that present for his brother the day after Thor had received his legendary weapon.

Loki glanced at the bed, a huge divan clothed in crimson sheets, decorated with many pillows and the golden hair of his brother.

Loki felt a lump in his throat rise. Tears pricked his eyes, and he made a whining noise.

He couldn’t figure out how he felt about Thor.

Thor, who had offered to be the one to perform his punishment.

Thor, who had made him feel more betrayed than he ever had in his life.

Thor, who had apologized the entire time he was sewing his brothers mouth shut.

Thor, who had kissed him and made all these feelings of confusion arise.

Another wave of pain hit him; his thirst had returned.

He stumbled towards the bathroom, were a basin of water sat on a marble counter.

Loki cupped the water in his hands and put it to his lips.

While his chapped lips felt better, only a trickle of water managed to make it through the stitches.

He lowered his hands and was surprised to find the water still clear.

He had assumed that all the dried blood on his face would have tinted the water.

Apparently Thor had cleaned him up last night, before putting him to bed.

Loki searched for a mirror, to see the damage, but found none.

He could barely make out his reflection in the marble, let alone view the stitches that now donned his mouth.

He heard Thor stir in his sleep and rushed back to the couch, sitting down just in time for Thor to sit up and rub the sleep from his eyes.

“Good morning, broth-” The words died on Thor’s lips. Whether it was because he had gotten a look at Loki’s sewn mouth, or if he realized that he could no longer answer, Loki wasn’t sure. But Thor looked like an abused animal, so hurt and sorry that Loki became ashamed himself.

He didn’t want to make his brother pity him because he looked so weak. He cursed the stitches, not only for stopping him from talking, eating, and drinking; but for making him even less of an equal of his brothers than he originally was.

Loki took this moment of Thor’s attention to gesture to his throat. Thor’s eyes followed the movements and lingered on Loki’s thin neck before realizing that Loki wanted something.

“What is it brother?” Thor asked, rushing out of bed to kneel before Loki.

Loki quickly realized that this was going to take forever if he didn’t write everything down for Thor. He made a motion of writing and waited for the spark of realization in Thor’s eyes.

“You want to write!” Thor exclaimed; looking pleased with himself for understanding this game that Loki was forced to play to communicate.

Thor gathered paper and a pen that he had stolen from Tony Stark, claiming that he owned no “pens” and they were much easier than a quill and ink.

Loki rolled his eyes at his brother as Thor grinned like a child as he clicked the end of the pen before handing it to him.

Loki wrote “I am thirsty” on the paper and held it up for Thor.

“I have water, brother.” Thor gave him a kind smile and handed him a golden goblet at his bedside.

Loki took the cup and stared at his moronic brother for a couple of moments before Thor realized that Loki’s predicament not only affected speech, but actions necessary to survival as well.

“Wh-what should we do brother?” Thor asked. His blue eyes were huge in his confusion. Loki was reminded of when they were younger and Thor would look at him like this when confronted with a problem that muscle didn’t fix.

Loki wrote “Ask father” but quickly scribbled that out and re-wrote “Ask your father”.

Thor nodded, determined to help, and left Loki alone with the paper and pen.

Loki absentmindedly wrote down the words to spells as he waited for Thor’s return.

There was a knock on the door, and since Loki couldn’t call for the person not to enter, a random palace maid entered Thor’s room. She didn’t notice Loki at first, until she had already made the bed and turned to straighten up the pillows on the couch.

Her eyes widened in terror and she screamed. She ran out and slammed the door behind her.

Loki sat there and wondered if it was the shock of seeing the banished Prince of Asgard, or the disgust of his current physical state that caused her reaction, but he found himself aching for a mirror. He desperately wanted to view the damage for himself.

Before he could search for something, anything, to view his reflection, Thor burst back into the room. In his hands he held a scroll.

“I was told to give you this, brother.” Thor exclaimed, handing over the scroll as if it were worth the weight of Asgard in gold. Loki took the scroll and looked at the writing. It was beautiful, while still being legible. As he read the words aloud to himself in his head, he felt the burning in his throat disappear.

Relief washed over his face as he felt the sensation of cool water soothing his thirst. Thor sat eagerly on his knees in front of his brother, and let out a breath when he saw Loki’s look of relief.

“I am glad I could be of assistance, brother.” Thor said, grasping Loki’s hand. “Father also gave me this for when you are hungry.”

Another scroll was placed into his hands, which he placed on the smaller couch for a later time. He decided to take a chance and write down one more request on the paper. He took a moment to wonder if he really wanted this, if it was something he really wanted to see. He decided with a nod that yes, it was.

“You want a mirror?”

Loki saw the battle of emotion going on inside his brother. 

Perhaps getting a mirror would be easier than expected. 

“I do not believe that is a wise choice at the moment, brother.” Thor said earnestly.

Loki wasn’t stupid.

He knew what that meant.

He must have looked hideous.

Why else would that woman have screamed and ran away?

Thor’s reluctance had only made that clearer.

He felt a sudden rush of defiance.

He didn’t need Thor to get things for him.

He was mute, but not helpless.

He quickly wrote down ‘I wish to take a bath’ on the paper, and shoved it in Thor’s face.

While Thor scrambled to read the sentence, Loki fled the room to the bath chambers.

Thor might not get a mirror for him, so he would go get one himself.

And for once, the mirror might show an appropriate reflection of the monster he knew was inside.  



	3. The Consequences

Thor scrambled to quickly read the piece of paper Loki had written on.

His mind felt mudled.

After Loki had asked for a mirror, and Thor had said no, Loki had thrown the paper in his face and ran.

“He wants a bath?” Thor read the paper.

He suddenly felt very foolish.

He had been worrying over something as simple as a bath.

He went to go get himself some breakfast, having forgotten to get some when he was running around for his father in order to get Loki’s scroll.

On the way to the dining hall, he ran into a palace maid who was visibly shaking. Another maid was consoling her, cradling the other in her arms and speaking softly about how everything was alright. That it was probably her imagination.

“Are you alright?” Thor asked, placing his hand on the shaking maid’s shoulder.

“Thor!” she screamed, backing away from him. “Prince Loki was in your room! He … his … his mouth! It was sewn shut!” she was frantic, flailing around and she had begun crying hysterically again.

“Hush!” the other maid ordered, glaring at her co-worker.

“You saw my brother?” Thor asked, grabbing the maid and trying very hard not to shake her.

He needed to know what had happened.

Perhaps she was the reason why Loki was acting as he was.

“He was there, it was horrible. His mouth, I couldn’t help it. I screamed and ran away.” She said, covering her face with her hands and shaking her head as if that could clear her memory.

“I must go.” Thor said, nodding deeply to the calmer maid and quickly making his way towards the bathrooms.

He remembered a time when he and Loki were younger, and Loki was just beginning to come into his magic.

Back then Loki had been much more, eccentric.

He would be so excited when he completed a new spell.

Thor remembered the morning Loki burst into his room.

The sun had just barely risen when he felt a drastic change in weight on his mattress.

“Brother!” Loki hissed, trying to be quiet but his joy could not be contained. “I have something to show you!”

“Loki, can’t this wait until after breakfast?” Thor groaned, burying himself beneath his blankets and pulling his pillow over his eyes.

“Brother! Please!”

Thor could feel the presence of his brother looming over him.

“Loki I’m sure this could wait until later!” Thor had raised his voice, and he heard the sharp intake of breath.

“Oh, alright. Never mind, brother.”

He heard the sadness in Loki’s voice, but he didn’t say anything when he felt his brother’s weight disappear off his bed.

He didn’t stop him when he heard a whisper of an apology and the door shutting with a soft click.

It took him a whole ten minutes of laying there to actually get up and go find his brother to apologize.

But Loki was not in his room.

Thor checked the dining hall, the ballrooms, anywhere that Loki might have gone but he never found him.

Thor decided he would take a bath to fully wake up before continuing the pursuit of his brother.

When he had opened the bathroom door his brother was laying there, clothes sopping wet, unconscious on the floor.

There was a large puddle of water surrounding him, and a text book open.

Thor had rushed to his brother’s side, shaking his brother in an attempt to wake him up.

“Loki, wake up.” Thor said, pushing the hair out of his brother’s face.

Loki did not stir.

“Brother!” Thor was becoming frantic now, grabbing Loki’s shoulders and shaking him.

Loki remained unconscious.

“Help me!” Thor cried, picking his brother up and running through the halls.

Because it was so early there were little to no maids or servants who could be of assistance.

And so Thor feared the worst.

Loki was dripping water all over the floor and Thor was slipping, but he never stopped running until he came to his parent’s door.

“Father!” Thor yelled, kicking the door open. “Help!”

Odin was at the door faster than Thor could process, he had Thor lay Loki on the floor while he put a small amount of magic into Loki’s chest.

Loki spit up water and coughed hysterically, but the color returned to his face.

“Thor?” Loki looked so confused, so scared, so small.

Thor hugged his brother hard, not caring about how mad he was at his brother for doing something so foolish or the fact that he was now wet from the bath water as well.

“I was so scared” Thor said softly, trying to push the horrible thoughts of Loki never regaining consciousness out of his mind.

“I’m so sorry” Loki whimpered, clutching Thor so tightly it hurt. “I am so sorry, brother.”

Thor was reminded of that moment now, rushing to the bath chambers.

He should never have let Loki leave his sight.

He knew Loki would not be well.

From the moment Loki had asked for the mirror, Thor should not have left Loki alone.

***

When he broke down the door to the bathroom, he found Loki staring at a mirror.

His brother sat on a marble bench in front of an oval shaped mirror, completely silent.

“Brother?” Thor called, crossing the room as quickly as he dared.

He didn’t want Loki to do anything drastic.

Loki flinched at the noise, but other than that did not stir.

Thor gently placed a hand on Loki’s shoulder, and it was then he noticed that Loki was covered in writing.

All along his fingers, hands, arms; any open area of skin there were written words.

“Disgusting”

“Ugly”

“Sickening”

“Repulsive”

“Ghastly”

“Revolting”

Each word had been dug into his skin.

The pen lay discarded on the floor.

“Loki, why would you do this?” Thor kneeled by his brother.

Loki remained stoic.

“Loki, my brother, you are beautiful.”

Loki shoved Thor aside and stood up quickly.

He pointed to his mouth and shook his head.

“That matters not!” Thor tried to reason with him, but Loki was too far gone.

Loki grabbed the mirror and threw it on the floor, causing it to shatter around them.

“Loki, I would never lie to you. You are beautiful.”

For a moment, Thor thought he might have finally gotten through to his brother.

Loki had looked so broken, but suddenly his eyes gleamed.

This was what Thor had been waiting for.

Loki was finally going to come around.

He would have his brother back.

Loki had kneeled down beside him, and was even giving him a kind look.

But then Loki’s expression changed.

His eyes looked cruel, and he grabbed a shard of glass from the floor.

Thor barely had time to shout before Loki took his new weapon and ripped through the stitches of his mouth.

Thor watched in horror as Loki laughed, blood dripping down his face.

Loki turned so swiftly Thor got blood spatter on himself.

“Am I beautiful now, brother?”

***

Loki stood above him, breathing heavily and looking absolutely mad.

“Well? What do you think now, brother?”

Loki grabbed him by the jaw and forced Thor to look into his eyes.

“Yes.” Thor said quietly.

Loki let go of Thor’s face as if it burned him.

He backed away several steps and looked horrified.

“Do not lie to me!” Loki screamed, throwing aside the bloody piece of glass.

“I never have.” Thor said, getting up slowly. “From the first day I told you, I have never lied.”

“Shut up!” Loki yelled, pointing to his mouth. “This is not beautiful!”

“You are what is beautiful brother, nothing else matters.” Thor said. “Just because you are not able to look past something, doesn’t mean anyone else can’t.”

Loki yelled out as if the words hurt him, he turned and tried to run, but was blocked by the broken mirror.

When he turned around again, Thor had reached him.

Thor reached out and gently pulled out the cut threads from Loki’s mouth.

“I am so sorry for what I had to do to you.” He said quietly, as he held the bloody strands.

The silence that surrounded them was deafening, but neither dared to break it.

Finally Thor turned to leave, and Loki felt helpless as he watched his brother walk away.

“Did you mean it?”

Loki’s voice rang through the bath chamber, cutting through the silence and causing Thor to freeze mid-step.

“Mean what?”

Thor could hear how broken he sounded, and he hated it.

But he had messed up, and now he must face the consequences.

“Before you… did it.” Loki said, nodding towards the fibers in his brother’s hand. “You said something. You said…”

Thor waited for Loki to finish his sentence, but it never came.

“I said I loved you.”

“Yes.”

Loki sounded as broken as Thor did earlier.

“I have never meant anything more.” Thor said, turning to look at his brother.

When Loki gave no response, Thor decided he would give it one more try.

“I lied.” Thor said, watching as Loki’s face fell. He saw a single tear fall, before he spoke again. “I told you I had never meant anything more. That was a lie.”

Loki put his face in his hands, shaking his head and crying.

“I have said something I meant just as much.”

Loki’s sobs stopped and he looked up slowly.

“You are beautiful when you smile.”

And with that Thor turned to leave once more, not wanting to face the impending rejection he was sure was coming.

“I love you too.”

It was quiet, but Thor heard him perfectly.

He heard footsteps, and felt Loki’s hand slide into his own.

When Thor felt brave enough he glanced at his brother.

At first Loki just stared at him, with the same expression he usually wore.

Loki took the stitches from Thor’s hand and threw them aside.

And when he met Thor’s gaze once more, he gave a small smile.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my first story on AO3 and I cannot put into words how thankful I am for the comments and all the kudos I received. I honestly screamed at work when I saw I had over 500 hits, and dear lord I even got bookmarks! You all are wonderful!


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